Obasanjo meets Benin Republic President Talon, seeks soft landing for Sunday Igboho

Former Nigerian’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo, met the Benin Republic president, Patrice Talon, to seek soft-landing for Yoruba Nation Activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

Sunday Igboho and his wife were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin on their way to Germany. Ropo was later released.

This was after DSS raided his house in Ibadan and declared him wanted for stockpiling arms.

Igboho has been in detention in Cotonou since his arrest.

Newsflash Nigeria gathered that Obasanjo was in Benin Republic in the first week of August 2021.

Top sources in the diplomatic circle said that the former president travelled to Zanzibar, an island in Tanzania on August 1 and rerouted to the Francophone country, TheCable reports.

READ ALSO: Gunmen attack passengers in Ekiti; kill one, abduct many

He was said to have travelled to Benin Republic in the guise of condoling with Nicephore Soglo who recently lost his wife – Roseline Soglo.

Roseline died on July 25 at the age of 87 in Cotonou.

Soglo was president of Benin Republic from 1991 to 1996.

Newsflash Nigeria understands the former Beninise president and Obasanjo have maintained a warm relationship over the years.

Soglo is one of the African leaders who intervened at the time the Abacha regime arrested and jailed Obasanjo in 1995.

 “Former President Obasanjo travelled to Zanzibar on August 1. Perhaps to conceal his trip; he rerouted to Benin Republic,” one of the sources said.

“He was to condole with former President Soglo who recently lost his wife.”

Another source who was also privy to Obasanjo’s trip said: “He also met with Patrice Talon. The purpose of the meeting was to seek soft-landing for Sunday Igboho.

“He’s asking the Beninise authorities to grant the separatist leader asylum, and not to return him to Nigeria.

“The former president intervened at the request of some southwest leaders.”

Igboho was arrested by Beninise security forces while attempting to flee to Germany.

The Department of State Services (DSS) raided his residence in Oyo on July 1, killing two people and arresting 12 of his supporters.

He has been in detention in Cotonou since his arrest.

An aide of Obasanjo confirmed the former president was in Benin Republic.

It was learnt that Obasanjo returned to Nigeria by road through Idiroko land border in Ogun state.

Newsflash Nigeria is an online newspaper that is developed and written exclusively for Nigerians. It’s packed with up-to-the-minute Local and National Economy News, Share & Capital Market, Health, Sports, Education, Technology, Business and Opinions.

To make further advert enquiries or place an order, please contact us at [email protected] and +2348053316946 and WhatsApp number 08033546732